


The Dale

by LLN3dseestheLight



Category: Angel: the Series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV), Dogma (1999), Highlander: The Series, Supernatural
Genre: Cameos, Crossover, F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi, Multiple Crossovers, Sex, Slow burn Xander Harris/Spike, death of oc slayer, so many, tons of crossovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-05
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-09-12 05:03:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16866628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LLN3dseestheLight/pseuds/LLN3dseestheLight
Summary: The Dale Stronghold is said to hold many secrets within its walls, that it is rumored to be a sanctuary of sorts for supernatural beings and creatures. Created out of the ashes of the fallen Hellmouth by a child of it. Alexander and his Other, wanted a home for themselves but it turned out to be so much more...





	1. one

**Author's Note:**

> There is a lot of fandoms and characters in this story I will add them to the tags chapter by chapter so not to spoil the story. Only fandoms with characters that have speaking parts or big plot points will be added. Not the cameos or mentions of fandoms or characters. This is just so I don't drive myself insane, trying to remember them all.
> 
> P.S. This is a re-write of a story I posted on Twisting the Hellmouth, years ago by the same name. I was never happy with it so I re-did it. and add some stuff. Hope you like it. If not, please no flames.

_"To know the story of Alexander Harris and his feminine **other,** Xander. One must start at the beginning. Though the beginning of this story is said to have begun, in a reality, other than our own, that Xander LaVelle came to our plane of existence when her own was about to be destroyed by The Demon Lord Acathla. It was thanks to the Vampire Seer Drusilla, of Xander's reality, that she saved and sent to ours. Xander came to Alexander with nothing but her courage and spirit. _

_Alexander knew he could never be without his **other** and kept her close even while those he thought of as family tried to cause discourse between them. _

_It was with Xander's help that Alexander built the Dale Stronghold, at all. It is said that he wanted a safe place for them to call home and in doing so, created a haven for many supernatural beings and creatures — a place that many of the champions of the Powers That Be called home as well._

_The Dale Stronghold is Alexander's most significant accomplishments to this day. Only surpassed by the formation of Xander's Council of Seven...."_

An expert from _A Brief History of the Dale Stronghold,_ by Methos,

                           Head Archivist of the Dale Stronghold.

 

 

_'Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. This is Alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange._

_In those days, we really believed that to be the World's one, and only truth._.' Alphonse Elric- Full Metal Alchemist, Quoted From: _A History of Alchemy._

********1998** ** ** **

**********The Main Room Of, The Mansion on Crawford Street,** ** ** ** **

**Sunnydale, California.**

The Laughing Girl clawed at the fingers digging into her throat. Drusilla knew the girl could feel the blood running down her neck from where the vampiress claws scored the skin of Hyena's neck causing it to bleed. As Drusilla shoved the other girl towards the slowly opening, white glowing, portal, it was, in fact, the girl's one chance to escape what was to come. The Hyena's fate was going to be a kinder one than that of the Nasty Slayer or the Pretty Red Tree's. The Hyena would no longer meet death in an iron cage betrayed by false love; Laughing Girl couldn't be here when the demon lord awoke.

Drusilla would see to that, as she had for decades since the girl's fate had first danced through her head. True, it would mean the death of everyone that the girl loved and the rest of this reality, but well, some things just couldn't be helped, you know.

Drusilla had been dreaming of the kingdom; the Hyena was going to help build with the Dark Kitten how they would create the sanctuary for all of those who needed it.

How they would one-day help- the _Promised Prince_ keep back the Cold Night- this had been her dream for many a year, and now Drusilla was going to help it come true this day. Laughing Girl was going to be upset at Drusilla because of what she was going to do, but she would forgive in time. Maybe? Possibly? Hopefully? Drusilla noticed the tears on her Laughing Girl's face, as she shed them from glowing radioactive green eyes.

_Why does she weep?_ Drusilla wondered. _Her fate has changed._

Drusilla glanced over to where the Hyena was looking to see her Daddy, holding the Nasty Slayer in his arms _. Oh, that_. Drusilla watched for a moment while her Daddy drained the Nasty Slayer of her blood and as he tore open his wrist with his fangs before pressing it to the Nasty Slayer's mouth. Drusilla smiled at the thought of a new sibling to torment.

The Hyena and Nasty Slayer had arrived in too late save the Watcher Man from her Daddy's rage. And her poor Wicked Light, her Dark Prince, Spike, was going to betray them for those of the Bright Light. Dru had been the one to stake her Spike. To keep him from such a fate he wouldn't have survived what was to come anyway. Better to keep him from that sort of suffering.

"Naughty, little pup," Drusilla cooed, softly, to the girl. "Never shall the stars a line for you. Always at the mercy of the petty fates, you are. But changed that, I did, for you. Had to save the light for all is cold and dark without it." Drusilla leaned close to her ear and whispered, "The Dark Kitten waits for you..."

"I don't understand," the girl choked out.

"Understand? What's to understand? I've righted what goes wrong for you. Time..." Drusilla's eyes went dreamy and vague, "time is the enemy. You will know so much of it and not enough. But in the end, find such rewards! Kindness too, is a reward, my dear, this is my kindness to you."

Drusilla's gaze turned sharp and almost sane _,_ for the Laughing Girl and Dark Kitten had to stop the Cold Night to come, as she said intently, "Remember, Xander LaVelle Harris! You must remember! _Winter Is Coming_!" With those words, Drusilla hurled Xander through the glowing portal.

Xander fell through it with a soundless scream. Drusilla watched dispassionately, as it closed pleased with it's offering. Drusilla turned and walked over to her Daddy; he was staring at her with dark eyes, almost fearful, behind her she heard a low, dangerous-sounding growl...

Acathla, High Demon Lord had awakened.

***

**The Upper Realms**

In the hallway, the walls gave off a pure, glowing heavenly, brilliant white light, an ancient being in the form of a young teenage girl that _would_ have become Dawn Summers in Reality 426, was walking through them, she stumbled when the floor heaved up under her feet. She could hear that clash of thunder and lightning.

Which almost never happened unless someone pissed off Zeus.

The Key to the Universe clutched at a nearby white pillar to keep from being flung to the floor. She notices many of the upper Angels and Guardians running around in a tizzy, she reached out and nabbed the arm of the first person that rushed by her, "What the hell is going on?" She exclaimed.

"If only this were _hell_ ," the young black man grumbled, his deep growling voice made Dawn shiver and not in a _bad_ way. He was dressed in a sharp looking, well fitting, black suit. Dawn could see the cuff of a blood red dress shirt peeking out from the sleeve of his jacket. "The quake and thunder?" He told her, "We lost a reality, Ancient One."

Dawn made a face at the title. Just because she was older than most of the Heavenly Beings didn't mean she liked being reminded of it, "What reality?"

"I'm not sure," he said and started down the hall. Dawn followed after him and watched to see him enter the Halls of Time and Reality. Which only made sense if the reality had been lost at all. Dawn couldn't remember the last time that had happened. She entered the room in time to hear the suited man ask, "Which reality was it, Gabriel?"

Dawn saw a man with light ash blond hair and had a face that was more interesting to look at that one would call classicly handsome. As he stood in front of one of the many mirrors in the Halls of Time and Reality, they could show the looker- anything, where and when in any reality depending on what mirror you looked into for what you needed.

"426, Mephistopheles, it's gone," Gabriel told him.

"God damn it!" Mephistopheles hissed.

"Language, Mephis," Gabriel scolded.

"Wait!" Dawn said, shocked, as she realized, " _You're the Devil_?"

Mephistopheles gave her a look that said 'please don't be that dumb' as he slowly drawled out the word, "No." He walked over to a consul and pressed a few buttons on it, "Lucy is the one in charge of hell," he frowned, "or suppose to be anyway."

At Dawn's confused look, he continued, "Think of it like this: Hell is like a business company, Lucy being the company's owner. And depending on what version a religion subscribes too? You have seven to nine circles of Hell that all need looking after as well as Lone Purgatory, which is not part of the circles of Hell. Where pretty much all supernatural creatures go when they die if they weren't, you know _evil_ in life. Or Tartarus, which Hades is in charge of and not my problem on a good day." He scrolled through some data on the screen in front of him,

"Now me? I'm more like the CEO that looks after things while my boss is on some beach drinking mai-tais." Mephistopheles frowned to himself, "Its better when the boss is on that beach drinking mai-tais, I have fewer headaches that way."

"Oh," And Dawn had the feeling she should have known that. With her being the Key to the Universe and all, but when she was about to take a mortal form, she let a lot of her universal knowledge go because a human form couldn't contain it all without causing her head to explode. That she knew from experience, it had been a short and unpleasant life, cause her head _actually_ exploded.

"I don't know how the Seer Drusilla did it! That portal should have taken Xander to one of the circles of hell!" Gabriel muttered, "While that would have been annoying we could have gotten her back. She wouldn't have been the first living person to see Hell. Or would write about it later."

Dawn realized something, "Did you say. Reality 426 is gone?"

"Yes, why?" Gabriel asked.

"Because that was the reality I was supposed to become mortal in!" Dawn complained, "I was going to become the sister to the slayer of that reality. This is such a bummer."

"Yeah, because you getting to experience the mortal coil is so much more important than the entire _reality_ that was wiped out by Acathla!" Mephistopheles exclaimed, "Shit like this only happens when **SHE** goes on vacation," he looked at Gabriel, "tell me **SHE** didn't go on vacation again!"

Gabriel rubbed the back of his neck, "Well...kind of?" Mephistopheles began to mutter darkly to himself. "There was a skeet-ball tournament in Wisconsin that **FATHER** wanted to go too."

" **SHE** needs hobbies that don't take her outside of The Upper Realms. Things go... _wrong_ when **SHE** leaves." Mephistopheles said.

"Well, **FATHER** _does_ have an obsession with all of the Xander Harrises of the multiverse, maybe **HE** set this into motion before **HE** left?" Gabriel asked, uncertainly.

"Without telling anyone?" Mephistopheles asked with a raised eyebrow.

Gabriel started to speak when the door to the room burst open; Dawn turned to see a man with black hair, this one she knew in passing was a Guardian Angel called Castiel.

"What Reality did we lose?" Castiel asked, solemnly.

"426," Gabriel said.

"But that was the one!" Castiel bemoaned, dragging his hands through his hair, "that was the one where I could have been with him!"

"I know, Cas," Gabriel agreed. Too many times both he and his brother had been denied a chance to be with their soul mates.

**FATHER** had promised them that this time would be different. Their soul mates were a pair of brothers whose family business was to hunt demons and, well, from what Gabriel understood a lot of terrible, no good things, were going to happen to them. He and Castiel were of the opinion that the brothers needed protecting and they were more than willing to do so.

"What happened?" Castiel asked.

"According to this," Mephistopheles said reading the Angelic text that appeared on the screen of the consul, "Xander Harris and the Slayer were supposed to defeat Angelus with the help of William the Bloody, but Drusilla staked him, and Angelus killed Rupert Giles then went on to drain and turn the slayer. None of that was _supposed_ to happen; the watcher supposed to live as well as the slayer and Xander..." Mephistopheles trailed off,

"What?" Dawn asked, curiously, "what was suppose to happen to her?"

"Ah, Xander would have ended up in the hands of a covert military group that hunted and experimented on demons. Xander was going to be betrayed by her lover, Graham Miller. Xander would have died at their hands leading the demons they had captured in a revolt against them." Mephistopheles told them.

"So, Drusilla, what? Let Acathla awaken knowing the demon would destroy the entire reality, to keep Xander alive?" Castiel asked incredulously.

"Seem so," Mephistopheles said, thoughtfully, "though I do wonder how Drusilla got the portal to take Xander to Reality 352 instead of Hell?"

A snort sounded from behind them causing all of them to turn, to see a man in his late forties, he had artfully messy, black hair and a cold expression on his pale face, "Just because **FATHER** didn't tell any of you what was going to happen, doesn't mean **HE** did not tell _anyone_." Metatron, the Heavenly Voice of God, bit out at them. "Sometimes I don't think any of you use the sense **HE** gave you."

"Meta!" Gabriel called out happily.

Metatron glared at him, snapping out, "Don't call me that."

"Voice! Reality 426 was the reality where--" Dawn was cut off,

"Yes, yes, it was the one where you were going to be a real girl...again." Metatron said dismissively, "You will be going to Reality 352 instead is all."

Dawn frowned, she hadn't like much of what she has seen of Buffy Summers in Reality 426 but had liked the idea of being mortal again too much to complain to **HER** about what she thought of Buffy Summers, so Dawn asked, "Can I be Xander's sister instead?"

"No," Metatron said, flatly.

"Shoot!" Dawn muttered.

"And us?" Castiel asked.

Metatron shrugged, "Pick a reality. It's not going to matter much in the end for Winchester brothers. Their destiny is a fixed one. But perhaps you two can bring the pair of them some comfort in whatever reality you end up choosing."

Castiel looked like he wanted to say something but was dragged out of the room by Gabriel. Metatron sighed and looked at Mephistopheles, "Do you have anything to add?"

It looked like Mephistopheles was going to, but a beeping sounded in the room. He pulled a cell phone out of his pocket, he looked at the screen, before he said, "Nope, I've got to go fifteen years into the future and pick up my daughter from the internet movie/reviewer critic that's babysitting her in Reality 442 before she does something everyone will regret. She's just a lovely little ball of evil, just like her mother, "then without another word he disappeared in a puff of black smoke.

Dawn looked at Metatron, "Things are going to get weird, aren't they?"

"My dear," Metatron said, taking Dawn by her arm, and leading her from the Halls of Time and Reality, "you have no idea..."


	2. Chapter 2

_"The Pulse of 2013 had shown the world that they couldn't or shouldn't rely on technology. The Pulse had caused worldwide computer crashes and electrical problems from which most countries never recovered. Most countries returned to a state similar to that of the 1500s, but with some modern things, like indoor plumbing and a little electricity, most Strongholds ran off of ZPM power sources thanks to the Star Gate Program that had been revealed to the world shortly before the Pulse hit. Some people blame the Star Gate Program for the Pulse so they could gain funding by producing ZPMs and end up the only reliable power source available._

_In 2015 the Veil of Denial lifted because of an uprising in a small town in California, a werewolf hunter by the name of Argent lost his mind and began accusing those who lived there to be Werewolves and other like supernatural beings. So many people died by Argent's hand that the deaths couldn't be covered up in anyway. Knowledge about the supernatural became mainstream._

_In 2045, the Powers That Be decided that the Vampire Champion, Angel, should be merged with his demon, Angelus. In hopes that the Vampire could finally find peace within himself and be a better Champion for them. As history, as shown, is not what happens. But it turned Angelus from the Powers That Be, and he began to live life on his terms by becoming one of the most feared and somehow loved Warlords._

_In 2099 the weather patterns began to change, making some seasons last longer than others. Two thousand one hundred saw the first of the many plagues that would arrive, this one killed more than half the Meta-humans or those that had the X-gene. In 2130 came the one that wiped out most of the average human population. 2197 was called the Sickness of the Slayers for it only effected slayers. As a result only four visible Slayer lines still, exist..."_

Expert From **:** The Induction to; _A Brief History of the Dale,_ by Methos, Head Archivist of the Dale Stronghold.

**2228**

**Close to Where Los Angeles Use To Be**

**City of Angels Stronghold.**

 

_'The world was a strange place,'_ Angelus thought. The Master of the Aurelius, he looked out of the window of the Hyperion Hotel; he was once more living in with his family.

The end of the world had come. And the cause was not some demon or god but by humans themselves. He had wondered why he had even bothered trying to save them.

 

Angelus shook away the memories; he had learned that one must live in the now and not the past. He looked around the room in which his family sat. The family that had helped create his Empire. The City of Angels Stronghold was the largest in what used to be California and Nevada. Their borders ended at what use to be the city limits of L.A. There was an area of five hundred miles called' No Man's Land' between them and Dale Stronghold, that was some forest with desert patches.

Angelus walked past Spike who was lounging on a couch. Spike smirked at him as he blew smoke rings from the cigarette he was smoking. Spike had finally stopped bleaching his hair and let it grow out; it fell in soft wheat blond curls. It made him look like the poet he had once been. He had told Angelus once the reason he stopped bleaching it was that since no one remembered who Billy Idol was there was no point to it because he could no longer tell the story about how Idol stole the look from him. Spike wore the leather brown leather trench coat he got of the Watcher from a Slayer/Watcher team that had attacked their stronghold in 2114. He and Spike still didn't get along, but they had learned to live with each other. Their souls made sure they would never kill each other, but they would still beat each other up when the mood struck them.

In an armchair in the corner of the room, a dark-haired young man with bright blue eyes was Angelus's son, Connor with his wife, Dawn in his lap. It didn't surprise Angelus that the only two people in the world who shouldn't exist (one the child of two vampires, the other an ancient mystical key to the universe) found each other when they went to college in San Francisco during the early 2000s. That had been a courtship with wonky spells thanks to Willow, nosy Slayers Buffy and Faith. A Chaos Mage (Ethan Rayne), and a lot of pissed off Watchers, Robin Wood, and Andrew Wells. Oh, can't forget about the Prophecy about how the two couldn't meet or it would be the end of an era. It had been an exciting time.

Drusilla sat on a small loveseat whispering about the stars to Wesley, who whispered back about the wind howling, making Drusilla giggle. Drusilla had turned the ex-watcher after Wesley had been wounded in the battle with Blackthorn. Drusilla had been near to watch out for her Daddy and his companions. But it was the first man that Drusilla had turned that day that was the real surprise, the one leaning next to the window looking out it, besides Angelus.

Lindsey MacDonald, she had turned him after Lorne at shot him at Wolfram&Hart under Angel's orders Lorne had left him for dead. Drusilla had found him as he was crawling away to die. Angelus didn't find out about either Childer until 2060. Drusilla had made it clear that Wesley was hers; she told Angelus in one of her more lucid moments that she had turned Lindsey for her Daddy because he never would even if he had wanted too.

It wasn't long after Angelus found out about Drusilla's childer that he had made Lindsey his Mate. He moved over to the blond vampire and wrapped an arm around his beloved's waist and nuzzled his neck. Lindsey leaned back against his mate, enjoying the affection that Angelus rarely showed him outside of the bedroom.

"Tell me some good news," Angelus whispered against Lindsey's neck.

Lindsey sighed, leaning back against Angelus, "Are you sure you want the Dale?"

"Of course. It's between us and the Anaheim Stronghold tactically it is the next step."

"Don't you wonder why Anaheim hasn't attacked the Dale themselves?" Lindsey frowned "It's a small Stronghold, it could easily be overtaken yet no one has to be able to do so."

Angelus made a sound for him to continue.

"The Warlord of the Dale is different from the Warlords of the other Holds we took. Most of them were thankful because we freed them from the worst Warlords. But Dale's leader is loved by all the demons and humans alike that live in the Hold from what our spies report."

"What do you suggest we do, I want the Dale it has a lot of memories for me. Not all good ones but still memories." Angelus told his mate, airily.

"An alliance. Any leader that can keep a Hold for almost hundred and fifty years is not someone you want for an enemy, Angel. I've heard rumors about Dale's Warlord...that he can be in two places at once. That he's immortal, from everything, our spies found out Dale's leader has owned it since it was built. Some say he was there before the Pulse hit but that is just hearsay."

Angelus was silent for a long time. Then whispered into Lindsey's ear "Let's try an alliance if he refuses? We can always kill him."

***

************2228** ** ** ** ** **

**A few days later.**

**Where the Town of Sunnydale Use to Be**

**The Dale Stronghold**

Harmony Kendall frowned at the scowling dark haired man that sat in the ebony marble throne, with silver skulls decorating the end of the arms of it. The throne was rumored to have once graced the God of War's main temple in Thrace, Greece.

"Alexander, we need this alliance it may be the only chance we get. Otherwise, they will attack us, and I don't think our forces can withstand an assault from the City of Angels Hold." Harmony told him reasonably.

"They are of the Aurelius line!" The Warlord of the Dale stated plainly as if that explained everything.

_And it maybe it did_. Harmony thought with a sigh.

"Don't tell me; you're going to let something that happened almost two hundred years ago color your judgment now!" Harmony asked.

Alexander glared his violet eyes flashing with anger as he stood up and walked toward her, "Fine, I won't." he said childishly to Harmony's disbelief.

"We need this Alex if we don't..."

"I know." Alex cut her off with a sigh of his own. He looked at the vampiress "Make sure whoever they send knows the laws of the Dale and that while they're here that they must obey them and if they don't. Should they break them, they will be punished by our ways."

Harmony looked shocked as he was giving in so quickly. Alexander saw this and reach out to grab her by her long blonde hair bringing her to him roughly.

"Know this; it is your responsibly if anything that goes wrong, you will suffer for it. I'll make you scream." He said harshly. Harmony could tell by the look in his eyes he meant it and that she wouldn't be screaming in a good way. At times like these Harmony wished Xander was here. Xander was the only one who could deal with Alex, when he got like this, but she was heading an envoy to the Beacon Stronghold, it was one of the few other Holds with a sizable supernatural population, to broker an alliance with them.

"Yes, Alex." Harmony agreed softly. He nodded pushing her away from him gently he walked to the door and stopped then looked back to her and said "Don't get your hopes up about this. It could be the end of us all." Then he walked out of the room.

Harmony sighed, walked over and sat down in Alex's throne covering her face with her hands, whispering "Damn it."

***

Methos moved quickly out of Alexander Harris's way when he stormed past him, from the look on the other man's face? Alex was not happy, at all. Methos wondered what had happened that upset their leader? He knew that the movements of the City of Angels Stronghold had been worrying their leader, with the way the City of Angels Hold was conquering other strongholds in the area.

Methos continued on this way to the Great Library; it was in his humble opinion nearly on par with the vast library of Alexandria in its heyday. The library was a font of lost wisdom, technology, and arcane arts. It was also one of the few places in the Dale Stronghold that held current tech. Computers were mostly used as learning tools as were televisions, Dvd players, and most audio players. All of the equipment was kept in working condition using careful maintenance and magic.

Once more Methos wondered why Alex had made him which the Head Archivist, it had to be a joke on the Warlord's part because Methos had forgotten more history, then what had ever been recorded. Alex had an odd sense of humor at times.

Methos remembered when he had met Alex for the first time, Methos had still been going by the name Adam Pierson. He'd had thousands of titles in his life, yet Adam Pierson held a special place in his heart, though it had taken him a long time to take back Methos as his name. He had met Alex one night in,

**2012**

**Rebuilt Town of Sunnydale,**

**California.**

Adam Pierson wondered if moving to this small town was a good idea. The city itself was bland and ordinary as a small town could be, Adam had lived in hundreds just like them all over the world. And some things remained the same, everyone had to know everyone else's drama but hated it when others knew theirs, and the bar was the most popular place to be on a Saturday night. Most of Sunnydale had been rebuilt a few years ago by the White Knight construction company after it had sunk into a hole in the ground.

Adam, when he moved here, had decided to open a bar. Mostly so he would always have his beer. The fact that the bar, (which Adam had named: **_Ye' Old Drinks_** ) turned a nice profit. Adam was enjoying small town life much more than he ever remembered doing so before. The Head Hunters hadn't found him, but neither had the bane of his existence, Duncan MacLeod.

Adam still hurt over falling out he and the man had, had over the years which always circled back the same thing, Methos past as one of the Four Horsemen. It wasn't fair that MacLeod wanted to use Methos for his knowledge, yet at the same time damned him for it as well. It was a somewhat ambiguous and two-faced way to go about a friendship. Adam, in the end, had just gotten tired of Duncan's drama. It must be so hard to be a paragon all the time.

Adam was glad he wasn't one, he thought standing behind the counter of the bar, wiping down the thick, luxurious mahogany wood top the bar. It was near closing, most of the patrons had left earlier, there were only three people left sitting at a corner table. A dark-haired man is sitting between to women, one a California blond and the other with a mixture of dark brown and shades of gold. Adam didn't know their names, but they had been coming in for the past few weeks, long enough to learn for him to learn their drink orders at least. He was about to go over and ask if they wanted one more drink before the last call when the door to the bar opened and four thuggish-looking men walked in.

The thugs looked around the bar, and two of them made a beeline for the three at the table the moment they spotted them. The other two leaned against the bar with their backs to Adam. _I have a bad feeling about this,_ Adam thought.

"That's her, Casey, the blonde." Thug Three said, smirking. The blonde in question turns to look at Thug Three, a sneer on her lips. Thug Two, Casey, was over by the table with the threesome and grabbed the blonde by the arm, jerking her up from her seat at the table.

"Hey!" the blonde woman said, "What is your damage?"

Adam moved slowly behind the counter, reaching under it to get the sword he was keeping under it. The was suppose to be used as protection from the Head Hunters and robbers, but he had learned to be careful in his long life, and threats from a crazy sword-wielding maniac went a long way, he knew.

"So, you're the bitch that thinks she can hold the Sunnydale?" Casey sneered, or leered? It was kind of hard to tell.

The dark-haired man at the table, relaxed posture, belied the threat in his voice when he said, "You should let Harmony go."

Casey smirked and backhanded Harmony in the face, making her stumble away from him. Adam watched as the man's face morphed into a dark, twisted, animalistic version of itself. Cold, alien yellow-red eyes glared at them and fangs, protruded from Casey's mouth.

_Vampires,_ Adam thought, _Great. I knew this town was almost too perfect._ Goddamn bloodsuckers were a bother, and he hated dealing with them.

"You shouldn't have done that."

"Oh, really, Alex?" Casey sneered through his fangs, "What are you going to do about it?"

"Me? Casey, no, I'm not the one you have to worry about." Alex said leaning back in his chair; he pointed to the woman next to him, who now sported some fur, fangs, and claws as well as glowing radioactive green eyes. "It's her..."

Several things happened at once after that statement. Adam got his hands on his sword and brought it up cutting off the heads of both vampires that were still leaning up against his bar, in a smooth, long practiced movement. He looked over at the table in time to see, Harmony, _oh, she's a vampire too?_ He wondered for a moment as he watched her palm a wooden stake into her had from the sleeve of her jacket and stake Casey, much to the vampire's shock. The last monster got his heart ripped out of his chest by the dark-haired woman.

"Well, that," Alex coughed on the vampire dust still floating through the air, "was fun." He looked over at Adam, "Nice sword by the way."

"Alex, you said the only vamps I would have to deal with would be Harmony!" The dark-haired woman muttered, now back to looking human. 

Alex raised an eyebrow at her, "Weren't you complaining about being bored earlier, Xander?"

Xander rolled her eyes, then to Adam asked, "Where do you keep your brooms? Oh, is that an Ivanhoe?" Commenting on Adam's sword.

"We'll help you clean up," Harmony said, back in her human face, "Vamp dust can't be good in beer."

"You're a vampire," Adam stated.

Harmony nodded, "But I don't _like_ eat people."

"Yeah, Harm's on a bagged diet." Xander said, "Brooms?"

"Janitors closet by the restrooms," Adam told her. Xander left to get a broom. Adam turned to Alex, "I should be more concerned by this, shouldn't I?"

Alex shrugged, "Just an ordinary night on the Hellmouth."

"That--Wait? Sunnydale is built on a _Hellmouth!?_ " Adam exclaimed. Hellmouths had a long history of existing almost for as long as the world itself had. They were natural occurring places of power and at one time places of worship. Delphi had been a small one. Until it had been sucked dry of its power by Apollo centuries ago to help stop the _Twilight of the Gods_ , from what Adam had heard.

Alex got up from his chair and walked over to the bar picking up the towel Adam had dropped from earlier and walked behind the bar and picked up a glass. He started to wipe it down with the cloth. "It was _rebuilt_ on a mostly dormant Hellmouth."

"Why?"

Alex shrugged, "Why not?"

Adam could think of several reasons as to _why not_.

Xander came back with a couple of brooms, she handed one to Harmony, and they began to sweep up the vampire dust that was on the floor.

"I'm Adam," Adam said, introducing himself.

Alex frowned at him, "I know, dude. You told the girls and me your name the first night we came here."

"I did?"

Alex nodded, smirking, "You even offered to show us your _sword_."

"I didn't, did I?" Adam asked frowning. Because while the three were very attractive and Adam could see himself saying that he hoped he hadn't made a fool of himself, though it had been known to happen when he drank too much.

Alex nodded, "You were really, really, drunk that night. If you hadn't been the girls and I would have taken you up on your offer. You were also giving away free drinks and muttering about boy scouts?"

"Nope, don't remember _anything_ about that...." Adam muttered.

***

Methos blinked bringing himself out of his thoughts and back to the here and now. He had come to love Sunnydale, (the not as dormant Hellmouth most thought it to be,) and enjoyed learning about the different supernatural beings that are drawn to it.

Methos pushed open a set of large, dark, wooden doors and walked into the library. He walked past a table of people, who were sitting and reading from books, some had old scrolls, and others were reading comics or mangas. He walked past a room that had a bunch of human children of different races, and a few of supernaturals, (the word _demon_ was avoided, though some of them were technical of demon races) from the ages of five through ten, watching one of the approved videos about Old World History. Adam knew as soon as that video was over someone would put on one of those shows that showcased, a supernatural race that called itself, Hensonites, in honor of the man that gave them a way to live in the human world and be productive by teaching and entertaining children.

When Methos reached his office, he walked into it and shut the door behind him. Stepping over a corner table that had a coffee pot on it he turned it on and watched as it began brewing the coffee. When it was done Methos poured himself a cup and took a long slow sip, savoring the flavor, they had been lucky to get any this year, and that their ally, the Cheyenne Mountain Stronghold, was one of the largest producers of the coveted coffee bean.

Methos once more thought back to the fateful meeting with Alex and those young women. Life certainly hasn't been boring for Methos since and he wondered what exciting things were coming next.

 


	3. Chapter 3

_"It is said that the appearance of Alexander Harris's **Other** , is what lead to the victory over the First Evil of Mankind...this is, in fact, utter bullshit. Xander had no bearing on any of the events that took place in Sunnydale at that time. With one exception, Xander did keep Alexander from losing his eye to the First's Priest, Caleb. Something unimportant in the grand scheme of things except to perhaps Alexander Harris..."_

Expert From _The Life and Times of Andrew Wells,_ by Jason Halfeck.

 

 

Alexander Harris, the Warlord of the Dale, stood at the top of the wall that surrounded the Dale; he looked out over his, well, for lack of a better word kingdom. He had never wanted this responsibility he had just wanted to keep his friends, his home safe.

_God, was I that innocent_? Wondered the Warlord, he should have known he would never escape from this place although he had tried more than once. Sunnydale or maybe it was the Hellmouth that had always called him back.

******Early 2002** ** **

**Shadow Valley Vineyard,**

**Sunnydale, California.**

 

Xander hit the ground hard; it was dark but crisp and dry, she could smell dirt, wood, and grapes? She blinked at the darkness before her vision colored over with a green tint as her night vision kicked in. Xander could see rows of shelves with bottles stacked in them. Rolling into a crouch she got to her feet, walking over to one of the shelves, she pulled a bottle off the shelf.

_Bloodwyne_ , _Shadow Valley Vineyards?_ Xander wondered as she replaced the bottle onto the shelf. For a moment Xander wondered how she got into someone's wine cellar. She frowned when she heard a few bangs and a crash. Xander almost got to the door she had seen a couple of feet from her when she heard a scream.

Xander ran forward and threw open the door and saw an everyday looking teenage girl with long brown hair and blue eyes, clutching her arm, from the way the bone was sticking through the girl's skin, it was broken. The girl was staring in stark terror at a dark-haired man, dressed in black with a white priest collar at his neck would have a pleasantly handsome face it not for the angry sneering expression on it and the fact he was holding another teenage girl with wavy auburn hair by her throat.

_What is it with bad guys and throats?_ Xander wondered.

"Dirty girls need to be cleansed so that the righteous way can come. You can know the glory--"

Xander stopped listening to the creepy preacher and sucker punched him in the face when she got close enough to him. Causing him to drop the girl and he staggered back.

The wavy hair girl was grabbed by the plain girl, pulling her into a corner where they watched in as Xander quickly lunged forward and clawed the preachers face, leaving deep bleeding gouges behind. Xander watched as the man's face heal up, as soon as a vampire’s would. That confused Xander because the scent of death clung to the man like a cheap perfume, but not the normal one she knew vampires had.

"Pick on someone your size," Xander told him.

"Well, now, aren't you a different flavor. Not like these other whores— No, Babylon was created for you." The preacher said, sneering.

"Flattering. I might be a bit rusty on my bible works but comparing me to the Devil's Whore or in some cases his mother is not the way to get you a date, sir."

"You have spirit, girl. I can't wait to be the one to break it." The preacher stepped towards Xander; she flexed her fingers causing the small, sharp black claws to pop out in response.

***

Buffy passed the black and red scythe to Faith with an underhanded throw. They had been killing the _Turok_ - _Han_ between them. When a crash to Buffy's right caught her attention. Buffy flinched the brightly, glowing green eyes of the girl. From dark brown that faded to lighter brown-blonde with black spots in patterns that resemble the spots on Spotted Hyena coat of fur.

The girl was fighting Caleb and _winning_?

"Who the hell is that? Is she one of the Potentials?" Faith asked as she cut off the head of the nearest vampire, then tossed the scythe back to Buffy who caught it quickly. Killing the closest vamp to her before throwing it back to Faith.

Buffy shook her head, "Don't know, but she's kicking Caleb's ass." Buffy looked over to Xander, where he was yelling at Vi and Rona to watch each other's backs.

"Xander!" Buffy shouted, and it caused the girl fighting Caleb to look over at Buffy and Caleb took advance of the girl's distraction and threw her into a wall, hard enough to make Buffy wince in sympathy, the girl slid down the wall and hit the ground.

Xander rushed forward and slammed the battle axe he was carrying into right between Caleb's shoulder blades. Caleb grunted and rolled his shoulder but otherwise showed no sign of pain. He watched as Caleb calmly reached behind him and yanked the ax from his back, blood and muscle gore flew everywhere as he did so. Caleb broke the ax's wooden handle with a quick snap. Xander mourned the loss of his favorite weapon as Caleb turned to face him.

" _SHE_ warned me about you," Caleb purred at Xander, "How you saw through her designs. You're the one who sees everything," he moved quickly, standing in front of Xander.

Xander noticed that the girl Caleb had thrown, raised her head and was staring at him with glowing, radioactive green eyes. The type of eyes he had seen before in the mirror when a primal hyena spirit had possessed him. Soundlessly, the girl rose to her feet and stalked closer to the First's preacher. Caleb lifted his hand, bringing Xander's attention back to him.

"Something should be done about that--" Caleb broke off when the girl dug her claws into Caleb's shoulders and yanked him away from Xander. The ensuing fight between the girl and Caleb was fast, harsh and dirty. Caleb only getting in on or two good hits on the girl before she scored her claws across Caleb's face, and flashed her _fangs_?

Yes, the girl had a set that would make a vampire think twice before messing with her, Xander thought.

When the girl had Caleb down for the killing blow, she froze looking to her left, Xander followed her gaze to see, The First in Jesse McNally's form, the first vampire he had ever staked.

"What _are_ you?" the girl asked, angrily.

First Jesse smirked, "I'm the darkness in the shadows. The voice that temps you in that moment of indecision. I was the one that gave Eve the apple..."

"The Boss is not going to be pleased with you taking credit for that bit of work," A deep, gravelly voice from the shadows said, a handsome black man in a dark suit, with a blood red dress shirt and thin black tie, stepped into a patch of light. He waved a hand, and all of the _Turok_ - _Han_ froze in place. Buffy, Faith and the Potentials took advantage of this and staked or cut their heads off them.

While First Jesse looked horrified at the man and whispered in fear, " _Mephistopheles_..."

"I was going to let you play out your little game here. You've entertained the Boss in the past with your antics. But to claim the boss's greatest victory? Not smart. But then again you were born out of the stupid ass decision Eve made." Mephistopheles snapped his fingers and the first disappeared, and a small clear box appeared in his hand, the image of First Jesse could be seen in it as First Jesse pounded his fists against the walls of the box.

"I think a few thousand years sitting on the boss's desk as a paperweight might teach you to behave." Mephistopheles tossed the box into the air, and it disappeared. He looked over to the Slayers, "You might want to do something about him," motioning to Caleb, with a lazy wave of a finger," technically he is mortal so he can die."

Faith, who still had the scythe, cut off Caleb's head in one smooth motion.

Mephistopheles made a face when Caleb's head hit the ground. He looked over at the dark-haired girl with glowing green eyes, "By the time anyone in the upper realms realized what had happened, Drusilla had already had thrown you through the portal. Acathla woke up, and the reality destroyed, I'm sorry for your lost, Xander LaVelle Harris."

"Why is an Arch-Demon telling me this?" the girl asked, sounding confused. Mephistopheles preened at being recognized as an Arch-demon, too many times in the past people had thought him to be a pure lower realm demon.

Buffy stepped forward, "What is he talking about? Acathla never woke up. Reality is fine."

Mephistopheles shot the blonde slayer an irritated look, "Not your reality." He pointed at the girl, "Her reality, this is Xander Harris."

Buffy frowned, "No," she pointed to the male Xander, " _that_ is Xander Harris."

"Hey, me." the girl said to Xander with a tiny wave.

"Hey, other me," Xander said back to her.

Mephistopheles rolled his eyes, "Glad introductions are done. Look about--" he broke off when a ring shrilled through the air. Mephistopheles pulled out a cell phone from his inside jacket pocket; he groaned when he looked at the screen. "I gotta go stop my evil little bundle of darkness from blowing up an internet movie critic. I swear I don't know why she likes torturing this guy." To female Xander, he said,

"You're stuck here, make the best of it and try not to piss off the Powers That Be..." Mephistopheles sighed, "No one needs the paperwork that will cause," the demon told her then disappeared in a cloud of black smoke.

"So," Buffy drawled out, "What now?"

Everyone looked at each other and shrugged before making their way out of the vineyard.

Things escalated quickly after that. Angel brought Buffy an Amulet that had sunlight in it but could only be used by a vampire with a soul. Buffy sent Angel back to L.A. so he could be the second line of defense if Buffy failed. Xander wasn't even at the final battle, he had into taken Dawn out of Sunnydale, and Xander got tazed for his trouble. Xander woke up to his female self as she pulled him from the car that Dawn had driven back to Sunnydale High School parking lot and dragged him to the yellow school bus, they were using to transport everyone out of Sunnydale.

The bus barely made it past the Welcome to Sunnydale sign, which leaning to the side, the wind from the bus rushing past it caused it to fall over completely. The buildings falling into the widening crater that was gaining on the wheels of the bus.

Perhaps all those tunnels under Sunnydale hadn't been a good idea?

Xander ignored whatever it was Giles said about Cleveland because his _other_ self-was cuddled up to his side, her head on his shoulder, dozing. He wondered if was weird to be attracted to the girl version of yourself?

***

****2002-One Month Later** **

**Inter-National Watchers Council's Head Quarters**

**The Citadel, Scotland**

"What the hell is wrong with you two?" Xander asked, bitingly, as he watched the dark-haired young woman retreat. He glared at the two other women in the room with him.

From the clueless looks that Xander received from Buffy and Willow didn't think they had done anything wrong. They never did when it came to his other.

It was one thing to talk down to him, Xander was used to it after all. But his... _other_ did not deserve to be treated that way, not after all she had done to help, saving Molly from being killed by the First Evil's priest but also keeping Xander from losing his eyes to the madman. His _other_ had also helped train the girls and keep Faith, well, kept Faith from being too Faith-like. Xander didn't even want to think about the horror story that would have happened if Faith and Wood _had_ gotten together.

If _ever_ there was a man with mommy issues, that needed to be avoided, it was Robin Wood.

Xander's female self-had no problem showing her contempt for Buffy and at times Willow. Who as fore mention treated his _Other_ like they treated him, something his female self could not and would not stand for or the Slayer and Witch would treat her like they treated Faith. It only got worse when his female-self told them it was the fault of the Buffy and Willow of his _Other's_ reality that said reality was destroyed and _that_ Buffy had done anything and everything thing to get her vampire boyfriend back.

They also didn't like the fact that his _other_ was as unlike Xander as could be, yet, was still _very_ much like him. That his female self could hold her own during sparing with not only the baby slayers but with Buffy and Faith. Something Buffy could not stand.

Buffy, Xander had realized, thought only she should be the _best_ fighter among them. It made him wonder just how many sparring matches. Faith thrown in the past for no other reason than to keep the peace between the two of them?

Willow didn't like the fact that Xander's _Other_ could speak and read, Russian, Spanish, some Mandarin and Japanese, French, Latin along with four or five demon languages too. He knew she could do this because he had walked in on his female self-talking to Chao-Ahn in Mandarin. Was it petty of Xander to be glad that his female self-didn't know a table saw from a drill?

Xander’s _other_ also shared his sense of dark humor, something the girls didn't like or understand most of the time. It also didn't help matters that both Dawn and Faith took an instant liking to Xander's female self. That she treated them like old friends, even though if she hadn't met Faith in her reality and Dawn had never existed.

Xander left the two women, ignoring the whispering they were doing behind his back, as he did so and wandered through the castle they were using as headquarters. Scotland was a beautiful country, but it was cold and wet, and he wanted to be anywhere but here. Truth be told he wanted to be home, but home was gone. Sunnydale had sunk into a massive hole in the ground. Xander knew it was the only way to contain the pre-historic vamps that were for some reason imprisoned deep under Sunnydale of all places. But that small town had been home, no matter how deadly and dangerous it had been.

Xander found his other, standing on a balcony looking out over the grounds, twenty minutes later. "Hey," he said awkwardly. As much as he liked his female self, he had no clue how he was supposed to talk to her.

"Hey, back," she said, just as awkwardly.

"Look about Buffy and Wills...They shouldn't talk to you like that." Xander said, "I'd thought Anya would be the worst to you." Ah, lovely Anya, who had broken up with him for the last time, for Andrew Wells. It had hurt, but he had realized that their relationship had been over for a long time. He loved Anya...he just wasn't in love with her. Andrew made Anya happy in ways that Xander didn't or wasn't able too.

"Yet, she is one of your biggest fans." Xander's _Other_ , had kept Anya from being killed when Anya had been holding a passed-out Andrew save from the pre-historic vampires when they had attacked Sunnydale High School during the last battle.

"It's not your fault they think I'm a carbon copy of you, despite being shown how we differ. I..." Xander’s female version said softly, "I don't like how the baby slayers or your so-called-friends treat you...Alexander."

"Alexander?" he asked, confused. Because up until now they had been careful not to address each other by name. The others of the group had called him Xander and her Harris when they had to call his female self-something.

"It sounds more grown up? And you are about three years older than me in this reality, you know. I thought the more grown-up version of our name suited you better. Or," she smirked, "should I have called you, _LaVelle_ , instead?"

Alexander shuddered at the thought and muttered, to himself, "Only when I'm on stage," remembering when he used LaVelle as a stage name when he was a stripper in Oxnard years ago, louder he said, "No, Alexander is fine." And he found it was when she said it. It didn't sound as if she was mocking him or trying to make him live up to the name. And yes, he knew the meaning of his name.

He sighed, "Things have been so crazy, Xander" Alexander glanced at her, she beamed at him when he called her that, "maybe we could find some time to get to know each other better?"

Xander smiled, even brighter at him, "I'd like that."

***

Xander sprawled on the blanket looking up at the sky, in the garden of the Citadel, a few days later. Alexander sat down next to her, he handed her an apple and told her to continue, "...So it turned out Mom had all those boyfriends and lovers because she was a quarter Succubus. She needed the sexually energy or she would start to crave alcohol as an alternative high."

"So, my mom choose to be a drunk and ignore me rather than someone, who could have given me an awesome outlook on not only relationships but between having more than one partner of either sex?"

"Or species."

"I always knew I was getting the short end of the stick," Alexander muttered, before stealing Xander's apple back and taking a bit from it.

***

"...You ever see those old _Loony Tune_ cartoons with the Coyote and the Sheepdog? How they were enemies until the end of work bell sounded and they were friends?" Xander asked, Alex as they explored the long halls of the Citadel.

Xander's fingers trailed against the slightly damp stone walls of the castles. Alexander nodded, _Loony Tunes_ had been one of his favorite cartoons when he was a kid.

"It was like that between Spike and me, whenever he came to my window," she said.

"But why? What did you talk about?"

Xander shrugged, "Oh, anything, everything. The books we read, the movies we had seen. Spike once spent _two hours_ telling me how much of a hack poet Lord Bryon was and some of the other poets of the same era," she sounds fond of the memory," I'd tell him about the places I wanted to see, and he would tell me about everywhere he had been."

Alexander hummed to himself, "So, you were dating?"

"What? No!"

Xander's denial amused Alexander to no end. "The only thing missing is walks in the moonlight and meeting your mom."

"Those never happened... Spike only had hot chocolate with my mom a couple of times, and the only moonlight involved was when I would patrol with him."

"So, you _were_ dating."

"We were _not_."

" _Were_."

" _Not_."

They went back and forth like this for hours.

***

"I did-" Alexander said, sprawled over a couch, in Xander's room. Xander sat in the floor in front of it, Alexander's hand was tangled in Xander's hair as they passed a bottle of whiskey back and forth, "kind of still do, love Anya. I-I-" he muttered, tongue loosened by the drink, "wasn't ready for what she wanted, and Anya wasn't ready either no matter what she might say... And that's okay, right?"

"Of course, it is," Xander said handing him back the bottle of whiskey. "You could have gone about telling her differently. Women get mad when you bail on their wedding day. At least that's what the girls have been telling me."

Alexander nodded, taking a drink from the bottle, before handing it back to her, "It just seems like I screwed up my one chance to be with someone who wanted to love me back."

"Bullshit." Xander said, not unkindly, "You'll find someone who will love you."

Alexander wasn't so sure about that. He gave her a blurry eyed look, "Want to go to bed?"

"Sure," Xander said stumbling to her feet and towards the bed in the room. Alexander watched her for a moment before falling off the couch when he tried to stand up.

Xander's laughter rang through the room.

 


	4. Chapter 4

_"Contrary to historical opinions. Alexander's relationship with his **other** was never sexual nor was it the inspiration for a certain Valyrian families' perchance for marrying their siblings, this was just a rumor started by enemies of Alexander Harris shortly after the strife between House Targaryen and House Hale came to light after the death of Faith Lehane at the hands of Aegon the Conqueror's sister wives. _

_The fact of the matter was that while Alexander and his **other** , actually had a close sibling relationship. To think otherwise is just foolish when Xander, herself was one to ally through marriage with the Warlords of the Beacon Stronghold, with the Nogitsune and the Wolf..."_

**Expert From,** _Truth and Rumor: A Biography of the Life of Alexander Harris,_ By Nicolas Timmons

 

**2003**

**The Citadel, Scotland.**

 

Alexander questioned his reasons for staying at Slayer HQ. Many of the girls that Buffy and Willow were bringing back here to train had little to no interest in being slayers or having the destiny to keep the world safe from demons. Buffy and Willow's treatment of Xander had not gotten better in fact in many ways it got worst, the closer he and Xander got to each other. Then Buffy had kept secret about Twilight, who had turned out to be none other than Angel.

Shocker, right?

Alexander was not happy in part Angel played in Giles death. He was more than glad to see the broody vampire dust especially when his involvement with Blackthorn became known. Alexander didn't care if Angel's actions as Twilight meant to squash the anti-slayer movement.

ANGEL KILLED GILES!!!

There was _no_ way that Buffy could spin that to make it not Angel's fault. Alexander didn't care what some future version of Angel said or not. He was of the opinion that Angel should have been staked long ago, this was the third one of their group that Angel's actions caused their deaths, Jenny Calendar and Cordelia Chase being the other two deaths. Dawn had left four months ago; she was living in San Francisco as far as Alexander knew, was happy with her college life. Dawn didn't want anything to do with Buffy anymore. Not that Alexander blamed her any. He did find it amusing that it was _Faith_ that inherited all of Giles estates and wealth.

And oh, how _that_ had left Buffy in a rage.

Alexander wasn't sure what was up with Willow or that demon chick that was teaching her magic stuff. She seemed okay for a powerful, magical demon lady. Willow's magic had gotten very scary, very quickly. Kennedy had gone back to New York after a fight with Willow about her demon teacher. It explained Willow's lousy attitude and why she was harping to Alex about Xander again.

"...I don't think she should be part of the Council, Xander." Willow stated from across the table. Buffy is sitting next to her and appeared to be asleep. She never took these meetings as seriously as she should.

"Why not?" Alexander asked, "Xander has done nothing but helps us since she stepped out of that portal almost two years ago. Anya and countless others are alive because of her!"

"She took your name from you, Xander!" Willow exclaimed slamming her hand down on the table. Buffy made a discontent sound at the noise but otherwise didn't stir. "Why couldn't she just have gone by Shakarri? That is the name of the demon that is possessing her, right?"

"It's _her_ name too, Willow! And you know Xander is not possessed by Shakarri. You know that she and the primal goddess merged into one person with _Xande_ r as the main personality!"

"No!" Willow howled, angrily, " _You are Xander_! Why are you letting her take over your life? Is she that good of a fuck?"

Alexander couldn't believe Willow had just said that. He had thought that Willow was over this type of jealousy. She didn't want him as a romantic partner for herself, something she had made clear in the past after the Fluke and reminding him that she was _so gay now_. But she always acted like the scorned girlfriend whenever he started to show romantic or sexual interest in anyone.

While true he and Xander had become closer it wasn't like that between them.

Even if there was some sexual tension between Xander and Alexander, they hadn't acted on it. He thought it was because they both thought it might be to weird for the other. Alexander would be perfectly fine with seeing where a relationship with Xander could go.

Does that make him weird?

Alexander felt his temper snap at Willow's accusation, "For your information, Willow. I am not fucking Xander as you so crudely put it." He glared at the scarlet haired woman harshly and decided to mess with her, "Not _yet_ , anyway. No, the real problem here is that I'm not letting you control my life anymore! I'm not looking for approval from you or by you, and you can't stand that, can you, Willow?"

Buffy raised her head sleepily, "I think--"

"SHUT UP, BUFFY! NO ONE ASKED YOU!!!" Both Alexander and Willow screamed at the slayer. Buffy blinked, wide-eyed for a moment then muttered to herself and laid her head back down on the table pillowed by her arm.

By the end of Alexander's fight with Willow had kicked Xander out of the castle. Alexander stormed out after his other and Willow pouted about it. Buffy kept her mouth shut about the whole thing. The slayer knew she was still in the doghouse over the whole Angel/Twilight thing.

***

"...and that is why the girls think I shouldn't be allowed to date," Alexander said from his place on the bed, shirtless in his boxers. He and Xander had taken one of the few cars, a sweet mint condition black and silver84' Trans Am, and drove until they hit the outskirts of Glenrothes before stopping at a Bed and Breakfast Inn for the night.

"And what do you think?" Xander asked, laying next to him in just her bra and panties.

"With my dating past? I see their point, but I like sex, you know. You have to like, date or purchase it from someone for sex to happen."

Xander sat up on her elbow, glaring down at him, "Tell me you haven't done the second one!"

"Not yet," Alexander muttered.

"Sex is easy to get," Xander said rolling her eyes and laying back down. "You're a good-looking guy, and I'm not saying that just because I'm the girl version of you, either. I'd do you in a hot minute. If you asked."

Alexander gave Xander a long look. He had to wonder if she meant that or if she was trying to be nice. _Only one way to find out,_ he thought and asked, "So, would you?"

"Would I what?" Xander turned her head to look at him; an unsure expression crossed her face.

"Have sex with me?"

Xander licked her lips, and she gave his body a slow once over, "Take your boxers off."

Alexander let out the breath he hadn't known he was holding, and still, this was somehow more romantic than his first time with Faith or Anya. He reached over and with one hand buried his fingers into Xander's hair and pulled her close to kiss her. Xander's hands went to the waistband of Alex’s boxers, she made quick work of them cutting through them with her small sharp claws.

Xander raised and slanted her lips across Alex's; she trailed her tongue over his full bottom lip. Alex sighed out a breath, and she slipped her tongue inside his mouth to taste him. Xander found he tasted like chocolate, like the rich dark chocolate, that Alex likes to snack on. She giggled when Alex got frustrated with the clasp of her bra and just shove the whole thing up and over her head. Xander made a pleasing sound when it got twisted around her wrists making Alex pause,

"That's a kink we will explore at another time," he whispered just under her ear, his hot breath causing her to shiver, then he began trailing warm, wet open mouth kisses along her throat, stopping to suck hard on the area where her neck and shoulder met. Xander knew she would have a nice sized love bite there.

Alex trailed his hand down and over Xander's sides, and back until he got to her panties, he pushed them down over her ass and down her thighs, and he kissed his way over and between her breasts, and down her stomach. 

Xander kicked off the piece of clothing around her ankles, and spread her thighs, Alex settled himself between them, taking one of her nipples into his mouth and sucking hard on it, the sensation causing Xander to moan in pleasure.

Alex then sat up on his knees, he grabbed Xander around her thighs and pulled her to him suddenly, causing Xander to laugh breathlessly, his hard cock almost but not quite touching her pussy. Xander reaches up and lazily stroked Alex's hard cock watching as he got even harder, the head of it turning a dark purple.

"Come on, time to put this bad boy to use," Xander murmured, her hand tightening around Alex causing him to groan, whether at the touch or what Xander said she didn't know or care so long as he did what she told him to do.

"Bossy," Alex said as he gentle knock her hand away from his cock.

"You love it," Xander replied with a grin, "Now fuck me."

"As the lady commands," Alex said as he rubbed his cock it along the lips of her pussy slowly sank into her, making Xander gasped at the hot, hard feel of him in her. Her fingers, her _claws_ dug into Alex's shoulders as he began to move with long slow thrusts of his hips. It wasn't long before he sped up his movements causing Xander to moan louder as he did so, the pleasure building between them causing the headboard of the bed to slam, rhythmically against the wall. In a way that more than likely annoyed the people in the other room that shared the wall, but the occupants of the bed were far past caring. No, only the pleasure that was just barely beyond their reach and achieving it was all they cared about for the moment.

"Does this count as masturbation or incest?" Alex murmured as he thrust his hips, his cock going more in-depth into Xander's hot, wet, dear gods, _so wet_.

"Your...uh, pillow talk, _oh, yes_!" Xander exclaimed softly, "Needs work! Do _that_ again," she told him when his cock brushed up against that sweet spot deep inside her, scoring the black claws that tipped her fingers down Alexander's back. Leaving bright red marks in their path but never breaking his skin, "And do you care?" Xander asked, breathlessly.

"No, not really," Alex huffed against Xander's neck, as he thrust harder into her, enjoying the soft cries of pleasure he rung from his _Other_ , as he did so, "I was just trying to fill the uncomfortable silence until you kiss me again."

So Xander did kiss him, Alex, again. It wasn't long after that they reached their climax at the same time once they were pleasure sated and coming down from the rush of their orgasms.

Alexander muttered, "Well, that was unexpected," his face pressed against Xander's throat half buried under her long hair.

"Only to you," Xander panted, exhausted, "Where did you learn that thing with your tongue?"

"Cordelia."

" _Cordelia Chase?"_ Xander looked down at him in surprise, "You got that most popular girl in school?"

Alex sighed, "For a while, until I fluked with Willow."

Xander nodded in understanding. That was the greatest thing about Xander. Alexander could say things no one else knew the deeper meaning of, but she always understood what he meant. It was one of the best parts of knowing yourself, so well.

Xander sighed and combed her fingers through Alex's sweaty dark hair. It was one of the few differences between them in looks besides being opposite sexes. Alexander's hair was a shade of brown that was almost black. While Xander's was a lighter brown with shades of gold blonde with darker russet spots running through it, Alex was sure it had something to do with Shakarri, the Primal Hyena Goddess, that had merged with Xander.

"You realize, of course, this thing between us can't last long term, right? Not without some buffer between us. We would drive each other crazy otherwise." Xander said softly. 

Alex huffed, his breath on her neck makes Xander shiver pleasantly. "I don't want to cheat on you..."

Xander laughed, her dark coffee colored eyes sparkling with amusement, "Alex, it's not cheating if I know about it. You are such a demon magnet I fear you'll end up with a bad demon or serial killer. I care about you too much to see that happen to you. I don't want to control who you take to bed either."

"Why not? If I'm sleeping with you, you should have some choice about that." Alexander asked, confused.

"And I will, if I join you or help you seduce someone, you'll know. But Alex for all that we are alike there will be some differences in who we are attracted too."

Alexander sighed, he knew that. He also knew he couldn't tie her down to him no matter how he felt about her. He knew she’d been taught that sex and even love should be shared between many and not just that mythical _one._ Alexander knew it wouldn't make whatever Xander felt for him less and all the more special because she chose to be with him in this way.

"Besides," Xander said softly, "I'm hoping you'll help me seduce Faith."

Alex snorted, "You'd have a better chance at that without me. Faith doesn't backtrack."

Xander was quiet for a moment, "Well, she'll be a challenge for us then, won't she?" She grinned at Alexander, "Now, I think we have rested enough."

Alex leaned over her, grinning, and asked, "Round Two?"

"I think you." Xander said, running a finger over Alex's cheek, "need to put your tongue to better use than talking."

Alex grinned, as he trailed wet, open mouth kisses down over Xander's throat, between her breasts, over her stomach and through the dense patch of dark hair between her legs that guarded her pussy against Alexander's hungry tongue. He pushed Xander's legs apart and made a space between them lowering his head and trailing his tongue along the edges of the lips of her core for a few moments before diving his tongue deep within it, causing a wanton moan to fall from Xander's lips.

Alexander was not going to argue about what the lady wanted.

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

_"Alexander Harris's years in Africa are a mystery... Some say he never went at all. Others say it was a ruse put out by the Watcher's Council and that he was doing undercover work for them. There are no documents in the Watcher's Council archive that support this theory..."_

 

**Expert From:** _The Wandering Years,_ by Selena Travers

_" It’s said that it was around this time the riff between Buffy Summers, Willow Rosenberg Alexander Harris began. It wasn't until 2009 that the riff between Alexander and most of the Watcher's Council became official..."_

**Expert From:** _The Life and Times of Andrew Wells,_ by Jason Halfeck

******2005** ** **

**Somewhere in Africa**

There are things Alexander doesn't talk about with Buffy or Willow anymore. His relationship with Xander is one of those things. But he is sure they would have to figure that one out on their own. It wasn't like Alex was hiding it from them or anything. So, if they hadn't figured it out? It's not his fault.

How Alexander truly feels about Buffy's leadership skills or his thoughts on Willow's magic use, is something else he doesn't talk with them about, mostly because such things would fall on deaf ears and he doesn't waste his breath anymore.

The other is what he does on his missions while in Africa.

Slayers aren't the only thing he's found while in this country. Alex found a couple of his old pack members there. Tor Hauer and his wife, Heidi, they had become involved with wildlife preserving. Mostly dealing with Hyenas, Alex was unsurprised when they flashed glowing radioactive green eyes at him. He took them to met Xander.

Hadn't that been a fun conversation?

***

**2006**

**Wakanka, Africa.**

Alexander panted, exhausted as he lay between Xander and Faith on their bed in T'Chaka's palace. Their lovemaking had been harsh and animalistic, Xander in charge of it, that seemed to make Faith more comfortable. It had taken a long time for them to seduce Faith and for her to understand they wanted something long term with her.

Alex hadn't thought Faith understood though. But that was going to be Xander's place to explain it to Faith. He knew Faith would never listen to anything he had to say on the subject of feelings and stuff. Faith had been hurt one too many times in the past by a man for her to trust anything one had to say when it came to love or sex.

This tryst between them wouldn't have happened at all if it hadn't been for a misunderstanding between T'Chaka, the ruler of Wakanka and some slayers who thought the king and his family were demons keeping the people of Wakanka prisoners.

Lucky for the slayers, Xander was able to clear the misunderstanding up, and that Queen Romanda found Xander and Faith to be a dangerous and amusing woman that she wanted to get to know better. The King of Wakanka had invited them to stay at his palace for a while and tell him about slayers, demons and the outside world since Wakanka had isolated itself from the rest of the world.

"You were right, X-girl. Boytoy is still a sweet ride." Faith muttered, against Alex’s neck.

Xander only cackled a hyena-like laugh making them both shiver at the sound of it.

***

**2008**

**Ahm Shere, Egypt.**

_Why did Buffy have to ruin everything?_ Alex thought as he swung a sword at a little-mummified corpse. _No really, why?_ How hard would it have been to listen to Jasmine Bay? The slayer had ground up here. Jasmine knew all about the local legends. Hell, she was even from the bloodlines of the _Medjai_ for Hellmouth's sake! Jasmine had been the one to tell them about the first and second time the Creature had rose, and that her grandmother and grandmother’s sister, Evie, Rick O'Connell had stopped the thing with the help of Jasmine's grandfather.

But _oh, no_ , the Head Slayer knew better than everyone else. And brought a five-thousand-year-old mummy back to life and processed to fuck it. Buffy claimed she was Imhotep's reincarnated lost love, _Anck-Su-Namun_. If it wasn't for the fact that Imhotep was holding Xander and Faith as hostages? Alex would have been more than willing to let Buffy clean up her mess.

Somehow Alex was sure this was all Willow's fault. She was the only one who could read ancient Egyptian besides Xander. And Xander was smart enough _not to read_ from the GODDAMNED BOOK OF THE DEAD!

_I'm one hundred percent done with this bullshi_ t, Alex thought, as he cut down another mummy. He wasn't getting paid enough for this crap. _Oh, right_ , he wasn't getting paid at all. He should do _something_ about that.

***

**2009**

**Cheap Motel Room,**

**Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.**

 

Alex slowly hung up the phone. "Damn, I should have let her drown all those years ago. Buffy is just going to get one of us killed." He lamented to Xander, who was lounging on the bed. Faith wasn't with them, in fact, she was roaming the country with a pair of demon hunter brothers by the name of Winchester.

_Ye~ah,_ Alex wasn't worried at all, not like those two could have worst luck then anyone from Sunnydale. Right?

"It's not the first time Buffy has been wishy-washy about this subject. She never has to deal with them." Xander muttered, flipping a dagger in her hand as she glared towards the corner of the room. T _hem_ _,_ in those cases, were the Slayers that were mentally unstable or that used their powers _to_ hurt or kill other humans.

"Now, the real question is, what do we do with you..." Alexander said looking at the red-haired Slayer tied up in the corner. She had reminded him of Willow when he first saw her. The slayer had tried to kill them two days ago when they had come looking for her when rumors began a slayer setting herself up as a mob boss.

The Slayer only glared at them and struggled in her bindings.

Xander flashed her fangs and growled at the slayer.

Alexander sighed.

***

Two days later, Alexander Harris crawled dripping wet of the Niagara River; he had concluded that he didn't like Slayers anymore. Faith is the one exception to that. _This one,_ he thought, as he coughs up some water, _had just about killed me_.

Alex laid in the mud on the bank; slow he turned over onto his back, looking up at the dark cloudy sky he muttered, "I'm too old for this shit!"

Four miles upriver, Xander dropped her bloody sword and fell to her knees from the wounds the red-haired slayer had given her; she glanced at the body of the red-haired Slayer. Xander hadn't even bothered to learn the girl's name. There was always so many of them and barely four out of the twenty they found a year survived. So, what was the point of learning their names? Alex would though, he always learned the name of the slayers they found. If for no other reason, so he knew what to put on their gravestones.

_Why? Why wouldn't the girl just stop?_ ' Xander wondered. Alex had told her she was forgiven for those murders of those peaceful demons. Accidents happened, she could have atoned for them that she didn't have to be the criminal that she was setting herself up to be. They had been willing to give her a second chance.

And she just...

Xander shook her head; she barely heard the roar of thunder, she didn't see the flash of lightning. Never felt the rain that soaked her clothes. All she could see was the open sightless eyes of the headless Slayer she had killed. Xander slowly turned and walked away from the dead girl, she had to find Alex.

Xander walked along the edge of the river calling his name. Until she found Alex a few miles downstream, still, staring up at the lightning filled the sky as thunder crashed above them.

For one heart-stopping moment, Xander thought Alexander might be dead until he slowly turned his head and said softly, "I want to go home."

"Yeah," Xander said, dropping the sword she had still been holding, she made her way closer to him. He sat up, and Xander dropped down to her knees next to him before throwing her arms around him, "We can do that."

***

**2010**

**The Hellmouth,**

**The Crater Where Sunnydale Use to Be, California.**

Harmony Kendall walked, the pouring rain drenching her designer clothes, along with the edges of the sinkhole that at one time she called home. The rain soaked her clothes, but strangely she didn't care, hadn't cared about anything for years. Not since her reality show went under. Eat one producer, and no one wants to work with you anymore. She tried not to cry but lost the battle.

Vampires weren't _supposed_ to cry, love or care but she did not that she had a soul or anything, because she didn't. No, it was worse than that. She was just odd. Others of her kind knew that and avoided her. An outcast was what she was now...now she understood how Buffy Summers and her gang of losers felt.

Harmony tried not to shed tears for her lost home, lost friends, her lost humanity. Her lost self, because she was...lost. The home she had, had at Wolfram&Hart with Angel and his gang had been gone a long time now too and had been for a year before Angel took on Blackthorn. She knew Angel, and her Blondie Bear had survived the fight. But Harmony didn't know where they were or if they were even together or spared a thought for her. They probably didn't, she knew.

Lorne, the last she heard was in Las Vegas singing in a demon owned casino five nights a week. Wesley had died in the battle with Blackthorn as far as she knew. Gunn went back to his old gang or what was left of it. Harmony had no idea what happened to Illyria and didn't care.

Thunder rumbled, lightning flashed, in the distance and coming closer she noticed a male figure walking toward her, a long black trench coat billowing in the wind. He was carrying a backpack. He was walking next to a similar clad female figure. Harmony wiped the rain from her face so she could see them more clearly. At first, she thought the male was Angel but saw that he wasn't quite tall enough to be the broody vampire.

Suddenly he was standing in front of her; lightning flashed again illumining his features that were familiar. Dark brown hair, longer than she had ever seen it was pulled into a ponytail at his neck, lips she knew could smile with a wolfish charm — dark tanned skin that smelled like sunshine even in this storm. The only thing different was that he now had power. She could see it; it was in the way he carried himself now, that and his eyes were now a brilliant violet color. They were unnatural, beautiful and suited him well.

"You," Harmony whispered, the sound lost to the thunder in the sky above them.

Alexander Harris smiled at her and Harmony knew she wasn't alone anymore.

***

Alexander knew the Dale wasn't like other Strongholds, Hellmouth aside. Everyone in this place had run from or was hiding from something — enemies, friends, family, destiny. If you could run from it, this was here you could find sanctuary. Alex didn't know why so many of the Powers That Be's Champions found their way to the Dale but they did. Alex would sometimes help train them if they needed it. Sometimes they just needed a place to heal. Champions of the Past would come here to retire, as well as a few Gods, Ascended beings, and a few demons. In short, Dale was a haven for the world’s most powerful and deserving people.

This was why he didn't want an alliance with an outside Hold. Not that the Dale was the only Hold that Alex controlled but the others were run by his vassals. People he trusted to run those Holds the way he would. And the fact that it was the City of Angels Hold was what cause Alex worry. He had heard that the Warlord of that Hold was ruthless and would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. Someone like that could not be allowed to find out the secrets of the Dale.

But Alex knew that this small Hold was a temptation to other Warlords that had heard the rumors about the Dale. Allies were a good thing to have if you could trust them. His vassals _were_ trusted, but those Holds were some ways away. It would take time for any of them to get to the Dale if it was attacked. Not that Alex was worried he had the best warriors in the world at his Hold at any given time of the year. No, he was concerned that if he did accept this offer for an alliance what they would lose and they could lose everything.

"I miss the days where all I had to worry about was the Apocalypse," he said to himself.

***

**2228-Two Weeks Later,**

**City of Angels Stronghold,**

 

Lindsey held the letter in his hand that had accompanied a small black journal; it was the reply from the Dale Stronghold. They would consider an alliance, the Warlord of the Dale would meet with them. Which was a good thing, many of their warriors tired of fighting, Angelus had worn his army down with the conquering spree he had gone on? Lindsey didn't think any of the warriors would rebel against Angelus, most of them being vampires they were bound to the Aurelius line. That didn't mean they would take orders happily.

Lindsey sighed, they did need this alliance. The human population of their Hold was a third of its demon/supernatural one. There had been murmurs of unfair treatment from the Human Section. From what information Lindsey had about the Dale, while small, had an even balance of both human and demon/supernatural. It this alliance goes through it would do something to calm there own human population, before the humans started a fight they could not win.

Lindsey wondered if Angelus knew just how much work he put into running Angelus Empire?

"Well," Angelus asked as he sat down on a couch drinking from a wine glass a dark red liquid. 

"They have agreed."

"And you were worried they wouldn't?" Angelus inquired.

"They have agreed to talk that's all."

"So we go talk...then take over." Angelus purred out, silkily.

Lindsey sighed because really? Lindsey wondered what went through his mate's head at times, but said, "Be serious, only five of us can go."

"Really? Mmmm...you, me, Spike and..."

"Connor and Dawn," Lindsey told him.

"What?" Angelus exclaimed, " No! It will be too dangerous."

Lindsey frowned at Angelus. Sometimes he was way too overprotective of Connor and Dawn.

"The Dale has a strong supernatural and human population...it would be good if there were some humans in our party. Just having vampires represent us would not work out, don't you think?" Lindsey asked him. It was Angelus's turn to frown.

"Your right."

"They also send a copy of the laws...of the Dale Stronghold."

"Oh, what are they?"

"They seem simple enough...Do not kill, " Lindsey frowned as he read the papers.

"What?" Angelus asked seeing the confused frown on his mate's face.

"It says here...unless sub-law one or two apply but doesn't say what the sub-laws are.

The next is: Do not steal, but it to as a sub-law that's not here. Do not worship false idols, oh, you've got to be kidding! It says here: for too many reasons to name! " Lindsey looked up at Angel "This has to be a joke."

"Keep reading," Angelus told him. Something about those laws was familiar.

"Magic may only be used for healing or to stop an Apocalypse...Angel!" Lindsey said as Angelus grabbed the papers out of his hands. Angelus began to read them, memories from a long-lost night of researching came to him...

****1998** **

**The Library of Sunnydale High School**

 

"If you had a kingdom of your own? What laws would you have?" Xander asked, "What would the laws be for your subjects," he flipped through the old book in front of him in a bored fashion. Angel didn't even understand why he was here at all. Xander was always the least interested in research. Angel didn't want to be here either, but he did want to spend time with Buffy. That's why he was sitting here listening to one of the slayer's sidekicks babble.

"What?" Angel asked, confused. What did imaginary kingdoms have to do with researching the newest threat to the Hellmouth, anyway?

Cordelia arched an eyebrow at Angel, "You know you said that out loud, right?"

Angel gave her an embarrassed look. He must be more tired than he thought.

Xander slammed the book in front of him closed, "I'm bored, Deadboy. It's a game."

"Is there magic?" Willow asked.

"Yes," Xander said.

Willow looked thoughtful for a moment, "There would have to be laws or rules about how or when magic could be used.”

"What about supernatural beings or demons?" Oz asked.

"Yes," Xander said.

"Would humans live with them or apart?" Oz asked.

Xander seemed to think on this, and his answer surprised Angel when he said, "Ideally, they should live together peacefully. So, there should be laws in place for that. Educating humans about supernaturals and demons would go a long way to helping with that. So, humans would know which were peacefully and which wanted to eat them."

"What about freedom of religions?" Cordelia asked.

"Yes," said Buffy, "While different beliefs cause strife and problems no one should tell someone else what to believe..."

"Seems fair," Cordelia said, "but does this place still have pizza?" At the looks from the others, "What? I'm hungry!"

Angel laughed, "Order what you want. I'll buy." Willow jumped up and asked what everyone wanted, then went to do just that. Angel asked Xander, "What about stealing?"

Xander tapped his chin with a finger, "What are the circumstances...

***

Angelus shook himself out of thoughts of the past and looked at this mate, "No, they're real." That had been a fun night they had even written down the laws they came up within a notebook that Willow had...laws that were the same as the Dale's, the same laws that the City of Angels had.

"But..."

"I know, they are for the most part the same as our own. I think or at least hope I know who created those laws.... the meeting with the Dale should be interesting." Said, Angelus, as he put down the papers. Maybe they could find out more about Dale's history? And who created the laws? It would be fun to see if want he thought was right.

"Make sure to Spike, Connor, and Dawn learn them as well," he told Lindsey as he retook his seat and picked up his glass. "We do want this alliance to go well."

 


End file.
